Praised by Cats boss

Mick McCarthy last night praised Kevin Phillips for the way he has handled his return to Wearside - and told clubs who are hoping to recruit the wantaway Sunderland striker that now is the time to do business.

Mick McCarthy last night praised Kevin Phillips for the way he has handled his return to Wearside - and told clubs who are hoping to recruit the wantaway Sunderland striker that now is the time to do business.

The Black Cats boss admits that it may yet be some time before he is able to add to his squad, with several more players needing to be offloaded before chairman Bob Murray will allow him to make a move in the transfer market.

Phillips is still expected to depart this summer but, although the former Watford favourite said his farewells in May, he was back at the Academy of Light on Wednesday for the opening day of pre-season training.

Sunderland have yet to receive an acceptable bid for the 30-year-old but, despite the club's financial woes, McCarthy has warned interested managers that they will not get Phillips on the cheap by employing delaying tactics.

"We know that there will be clubs circling around, waiting for the end of the transfer window and hoping to come in on the last day and pinch somebody," he said.

"The reality is that the season will have started by then and the shop might have shut. Bob will be happy to do business with people now at a fair and reasonable price but it has to be beneficial to us and the other team.

"There is interest in a lot of the players and I have had loads of telephone calls - but most people want to get something for nothing, that's an indication of where we are at the minute.

"There will have to be a reality check but at the minute, people are being cautious. I can't do anything about the market, the market is the way it is and I always expected it to be slow."

Phillips made an emotional exit from the Stadium of Light on the final day of last season and soon followed it up with a public announcement that the time had come for him to find a new club.

That has yet to happen. But McCarthy - who has confirmed Aston Villa's interest in Gavin McCann - denies it has been awkward for the former England international to return to training with the Black Cats.

"Kevin was probably right to say what he said and he possibly will still move on," said the Sunderland boss, who is keen to start wheeling and dealing, with the club's first friendly now just eight days away.

"But what I like about him is that he walked in here on Wednesday morning and he got on with it."

McCarthy has confirmed that he is keen to sign Colin Healy, although he knows he may miss out on the former Celtic midfielder if forced to wait much longer.

Meanwhile, former Sunderland keeper Jurgen Macho last night completed his move to Chelsea. David Bellion has also left this week, while Bernt Haas is set to join West Bromwich Albion, but the Wearsiders are desperate to offload many more players as they prepare for life in Division One.